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The most important book about Zen in the West

Yes, guys, a book. Just a simple book. I am thrilled. Cannot explain. I could have written so many pages, I could have never dreamt of so many other pages...Taigen, Taigen Dan Leighton is a great sitter, an inspired translator but this is really for all of us, not Dogen for dummies, not Dogen for University professors, not a fancy Dogen or a Japanese one (can they really read Dogen, I mean understand the implications of its poetic-junk-funk???) ( yes, guys, provocative thought, japanese guys don't really understand Dogen, they repeat empty forms...come and check for yourself!) , a book about Dogen alive here and now in you and me.Just open it, open it at any page, read and you will understand.
Please open this treasure. Not to treasure it, just to really rock!
Just pick up this and listen: Rumi, Thoreau, Dogen, Mary Oliver... a feast of guests from all walks of life, time and space, all gathered to break open your heart. BREAK OPEN YOUR HEART!!!

this book is : Zen questions, Zazen, Dogen, and the spirit of Creative Inquiry...Yes , I know, the title sucks . This is the book i would take to a desert island. I mean it. Get it. Chew it. Make it your own. See the moon, get a real taste of what matters beyond all the would be kenshos and awakenings that are now advertised everywhere.

You and only You are the one that can make this real. Give it a chance. Come on!

Up to you, now.

gassho

Taigu

PS: One more thing, the dance of compassion and wisdom is amazing here. Wit and heart: sharp and broad words flow freely and yet with great precision. Everything is taken care of. Just right.

Thank you Taigu. I have been chewing on "Dogen's Extensive Record: A Translation of the Eihei Koroku" for some time. Leighton is a wonderful translator and commentator. This book is about to be downloaded.
Gassho
Jeff

You are welcome Rich and when you ll get to the Dogen part and Taigen s insight about Genjokoan, you will be amazed. And his take of the Gyobutsu Igi is simply mind-blowing. Going beyond Buddha as the way to reach Buddha- a-sis, reality as-is...I wish guys here will study and practice this, same water that Jundo and I are selling and sailing, but I just love the landscape of his writing.

when you ll get to the Dogen part and Taigen s insight about Genjokoan, you will be amazed.

He is very good... it's refreshing to see him emphasizing that trying to eliminate delusion is just more delusion--and that to genjokoan this life means to genjokoan both delusion and awakening. It's so easy to get stuck in that trap (this is good, that is bad--so let's try to eliminate one for the other).

Highly readable, welcoming prose. I've just been picking random chapters. Definitely one to re-read at any time!

Wherever the next mediation is. Every now and then I make it back to Norfolk, England.

Thank you for the recommendation Taigu. I ordered it from Amazon (I never could resist "Buy now with one click") and am enjoying it. Anyone who can quote Dogen, William Blake and Bob Dylan in chapter one must be worth reading!).

Love this book! All this talk of it has had me reading it again all day when I should have been working! Just think Dylan, van gogh, rumi, Snyder all brought together with the genius that is Dogen
thanks Taigu

I started reading the ebook version as i was a touch impatient (WHAT?? ME? lol) waiting for the hard copy to come as its ETA was mid August. To my surprise it was at home on my desk lastnight when I got off work!

Been very much enjoying the book while I as on vacation the past two weeks. Haven't finished it yet but it's definitely worth the read. At first I was put off by some of the repetition, however it became quickly apparent that this helps if you want to jump around instead of reading straight through. I think the best part so far has been the fresh and personal perspective. Many of the books I've been reading on Dogen are kind of 'stuffy' and even tedious at times. Thanks for the great tip Taigu-sama!

In France Taigen Dan Leighton is especially known as translator. I have just read today, having read this comment, some articles broadcasted by the ancientdragon.org site, and I am very impressed by his erudition and the depth of the comments. Thank you for this advice.
Kosen

just finished it (the first time...I'm sure I'll re-read it many times over). It is wonderful to see that Taigen manages to shake off a lot of the pretentiousness of most other commentators. Thanks for the recommnedation...wish there was a German edition.

This really is a great book. Even ~1 year later I still go back to it, just picking a random chapter. Leighton is very insightful and very good at helping us understand Dogen. Consider this a "thread bump" so some newer people can check it out.